Rudd backers turn on PM for celebrity choice

The move to parachute the Olympian Nova Peris into Parliament has re-ignited discussion about Julia Gillard's political judgment and the value of so-called ''celebrity'' candidates.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Wayne Swan, hailed the decision as a necessary action to address a long-standing problem of Aboriginal non-representation in Federal Parliament.

But Labor figures loyal to the former prime minister Kevin Rudd rounded on Ms Gillard on Wednesday, calling the drafting of Ms Peris to replace a sitting Labor senator for the Northern Territory ''unprecedented''.

The rarely used provision has overridden a preselection process already under way in the Territory, sparking anger among rank-and-file members in the indigenous community, which makes up more than a quarter of the population.

Ms Peris, 41, will be rubber-stamped as Labor's candidate at next Tuesday's ALP national executive meeting. Its endorsement all but guarantees her entry to the Senate at the federal election this year.

Ms Gillard dropped the bombshell on Tuesday, after phoning the long-time NT senator Trish Crossin the previous night to tell her that her parliamentary career was over.

One Labor MP described that as ''an unprecedented deployment of prime ministerial power'' and ''a clear misuse of emergency rules'' designed to select candidates in forced byelections, or when an MP was suddenly required to step down.

''Because we are in an election year, most MPs will bite their lips, but people are furious,'' said the MP, who wished to remain anonymous. ''This sets a dangerous precedent that vulnerable MPs can simply be replaced overnight by somebody with name recognition to bolster the leader's numbers.''

Senator Crossin said on Thursday she will continue to stand for preselection despite the addition of Ms Peris to the list of candidates.

There are now three candidates standing, including the former NT education minister Marion Scrymgour.

Ms Crossin said that she had the option of removing her name from the ballot, "but I don't think Marion or I will be doing that".

Senior ministers defended Ms Gillard's decision to install the former athlete in the safe seat.

The ALP national secretary, George Wright, said the use of the special provisions was unusual, but there had been precedents.

Mr Swan said ''it had long been a blight on the party that we had no representative from the indigenous population''.

Another senior figure, from the party's Left faction, also praised Ms Gillard's action, revealing it had been a long-term aspiration to get an indigenous representative in the caucus.

He said it was ''utterly laughable'' that the action had anything to do with the leadership issue.

But Labor backbencher Nick Champion said that although Ms Gillard had been responding to a genuine need to have more indigenous Labor MPs, the ALP national executive should conduct a rank-and-file ballot in the NT.

''There's been this idea around amongst modern Labor leaders . . . that they should select candidates on high,'' the Member for Wakefield said.

''I don't think that's the best way to go. We're nearly always better having rank-and-file involvement in the preselections.''

Reactions to Ms Peris's endorsement varied among indigenous leaders.

Jody Broun, who co-chairs the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples, the indigenous peak body, said: ''You cannot have enough representation in any Parliament for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples''.

The indigenous leaders Warren Mundine and Tom Calma agreed. Mr Mundine, a former Labor national secretary, said it was ''sad'' an indigenous candidate had to be parachuted in by executive power, but that the Prime Minister was right to be forceful.

Dr Calma, a former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice commissioner, said Ms Peris ''is doing great work with indigenous youth and particularly girls in the Top End''.

Others view Ms Peris as a politically naive puppet.

''Unfortunately Nova doesn't realise she's being used by Julia Gillard,'' said Michael Anderson, a former leader of the Australian Black Power movement and a founder of the Aboriginal tent embassy.

''Ms Peris-Kneebone is only being used as a public relations exercise for Labor. She has not been involved in major political processes, rallies or otherwise. She has been missing in political action all the time.''

The Northern Territory's Indigenous Advancement Minister, Alison Anderson, told the NT News that Ms Peris would be a ''maid to do the sheets and serve the cups of tea''.